NEWS AROUND THE WORLD
NEWS AROUND THE WORLD BRAZIL
CENTRAL AMERICA
Budding organic market Small family farms are an endangered species in Brazil, as in many countries of the
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) announced the approva! of US$1,570,000
developing world. Saving farmers from the threat of extinction - or migration to cities
Investment Fund (MIF) for a regional project to strengthen the financial management of smallscale farmer organisations in Central American
where their skills cannot be used and they lose their connection to the land - is the mission of
ARCO Contestado, a regional marketing agency based in Mafra, south-eastern Brazil. the Matra region, 1,300 family farmers in 17 highland municipalities are switching to new In
crops and animal products and gaining in skills and strength. The farmers are the vanguard of a
successful local economic development project. By producing specialised vegetables and foods, the farmers have opened up new markets, getting their crops and products on to the shelves of major supermarket chains in southern Brazil and making their small plots
much more profttable.
Products include bottled pickles and beets, Strawberries, organic beans (dried without using toxins) and honey. Mafra honey is
a
(€1,223,200) grant
from its Multilateral
and southern Mexico. EARTH University and EcoLogic Finance Inc will carry out the project
organisations’ financial management, a weak point that hampers their growth and their business relations with importers and exporters.
Peter Bate
www.jadb.org/news
GHANA Congratulations Kwame Kwame Aidoo, BfDu's Correspondent in
with additional cash and in-kind contributions
Ghana, has been awarded the Environmental Personality of the Year 2004/2005. This
totalling US$779,000 (€606,900). Most of these resources will be donated by the
Award is given by the Government of the Republic of Ghana on the occasion of the
Starbucks Coffee Company, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and the JP Morgan Chase
49th Anniversary of Ghana's Independence.
Foundation.
The project, which will be executed in two phases, will involve organisations of producers of cocoa, coffee, fruit, honey, vegetables and
handicrafts in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Mexican states of Chiapas, Oaxaca and
The Award was in recognition of his work and activities with bees and beekeeping: research, extension to farmers and improving and
conserving the environment, especially for bees. Kwame writes: "It was a great
occasion that brought honour to me, my family, friends and to all the people who relate and work with me".
Veracruz. The goal is to strengthen these
considered to be one of the best in Brazil
because bees can feed on the wide variety of flowers found in the region. Twenty farmer associations are marketing honey, and ARCO Contestado is laying the groundwork for opening export markets by obtaining approval from the USA and Germany. For the time being, the farmers will continue to sell the honey in Brazil, where the price is favourable, and will
only export if the international price improves.
Lucy Conger, Micro Enterprise Americas
BULGARIA Beekeepers are considering a development programme that would help them overcome
UGANDA Ochoun Emirious Uthuma sent this picture of the 25 participants learning about tov-bar hives during a Workshop with Nebbi District Honey Beekeepers’ Association. The Workshop was sponsored by West Nile Private Sector Development Promotion.
some of the problems in the sector. The threeyear long programme would include six criteria under which the country could apply for EU
subsidy. Currently beekeeping in Bulgaria is facing problems due to bad climate and low
I’
PROPOLIS NEES WOX' aynyee aye
AT
purchase prices abroad. Gancho Ganev, head of the Bulgarian Association of Beekeepers, has pointed out that producers in Bulgaria make
(€0.25)
from each kilogram of
BUNDIBURYO BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION
only US$0.26 honey.
Bulgaria produces about 9,000 tonnes of honey per year, with 80% exported. Due to a lack of regulations, some of the honey offered on the local market may not be natural, Ganev also revealed. This is one of the main issues that the
Association aims to overcome with the adoption of the national improvement programme.
Business: 31 March 2006, www.novinite.com
UGANDA B8undiburyo 40 top-bar hives donated by Action Aid Uganda. Beekeepers’ Association receiving Their honey is predominantly trom Eucalyptus, but may also be from banana, coffee and wild flowers. Occasionally the Association can offer honey from the mountain forests that is red in colour, with a very delicate flavour.
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